The present invention relates to walk-behind rotary tillers and more specifically relates to the manner of mounting support wheels and drag stakes to the frames of such tillers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,792,734 issued to Ellis et al on Feb. 19, 1974 discloses a tiller which is representative of the type here under consideration. Specifically, this patent discloses a tiller structure including an engine-driven set of rotary tines or blades located forwardly of a pair of ground wheels located between the tines and a drag stake. The ground wheels are vertically adjustably linked to the tiller frame for movement among various positions including an extreme lower position for establishing a transport condition and an extreme raised position for establishing a maximum depth working position. While not specifically disclosed as such, the drag bar is assumed to be constructed and mounted in a manner permitting vertical adjustment thereof, to vary the resistance to forward movement of the tiller to thereby ensure that the tines will drag to the desired depth before progressing forwardly, and in a manner permitting pivoting thereof to a transport position. U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,077 granted to Kamlukin on Sept. 8, 1959 discloses such a drag stake mounting.
One problem attendant with rotary tillers constructed similarly to the aforementioned patented structures is that with the wheels located between the tines and drag stake, the wheels sometimes act to prevent the drag stake from entering the ground to the depth required for resisting forward movement of the tiller sufficiently to ensure that the tines will operate at the desired depth. U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,490 granted to Burns on Jan. 22, 1963 discloses a tiller not having this disadvantage since, there, the drag stake is located between the tines and the ground wheels. However, due to its location the drag stake disclosed in Burns cannot easily be elevated to a transport as is often desirable when turning the tiller at the end of a plot of ground being tilled.
Another problem attendant with rotary tillers having structures similar to those of the aforementioned patented structures is that the ground wheels and drag stakes thereof are mounted such as to require them to be separately adjusted between their respective transport and working positions and such as to require the removal and reinsertion of locking pins and the like.